NBA Finals Game 7 overnight rating highest in 12 years

Game 7 of the Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals series Thursday night drew an 18.2 overnight rating on ABC, the highest-rated NBA game since a Bulls-Jazz game in 1998.

It was ABC’s highest NBA overnight rating ever, passing Lakers-Pistons Game 5 in 2005 (15.5). ABC overnight records go back to 2003. Thursday night’s rating was 32 percent higher than the last time the NBA had a Game 7 (2005 Pistons-Apurs, 13.8).